The Formation of the Thought on Hardness and Softness in Yi Zhuan and the Transfer of Interpretive Paradigm of the Yi Studies                                   

Zhao Fasheng

Abstract: In the history of Yi thoughts over several thousand years, the most significant change was undoubtedly the transformation from The Book of Changes to Yi Zhuan, which realized the transfer of interpretive paradigm of The Book of Changes, making it a book of divination into a philosophy book based on image-numerology. Yet the Yi studies since the modern times did not make clear the problems such as how the transfer happened, and how it related to Confucius being fond of The Book of Changes in his later life. However, with the excavation of the documents of the silk manuscript of Yi Zhuan, the Guodian Chu Bamboo Slips, and the Bamboo Slips at Shanghai Museum, we have to review those questions. Combining the handed-down documents with the newly excavated materials, the internal clue of thought leading to the major turning point from The Book of Changes to Yi Zhuan might be found. By analyzing the extant edition and the silk manuscript of Yi Zhuan, as well as other documents, we can see that the concept of hardness and softness is the core thought of the early edition of Yi Zhuan, the key link of the transformation from The Book of Changes to Yi Zhuan, and the foundation as well as prelude of the thought of yin and yang. Confucius should be the first one to introduce the thought of hardness and softness into Yi Zhuan. Although Yi Zhuan was not necessarily written by Confucius, he had made the mysterious image-numerology rational and humane, as well as an universe outlook through the introduction of the thought of hardness and softness, thus initiated the thinking mode of extrapolating the Dao of Heaven to understand the human affairs, realizing the transfer of interpretive paradigm of The Book of Changes, and bringing the Yi studies into a new era.